SR1011 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois, and much of the United States, has experienced historical cold and record levels of snowfall over the 2013-2014 winter; and

WHEREAS, Propane gas is how thousands of rural central Illinoisians heat their homes, normally a fairly cost-effective way to do so; 55,000,000 people in the U.S., most of them located in the Midwest or South, use propane to heat their homes; and

WHEREAS, The extreme winter has caused propane usage in Illinois to rise between 20% and 30%; the combination of high usage and historically low propane inventory levels has created a shortage; this shortage has caused prices for propane to jump considerably, putting an increased financial burden on those who use the gas; and

WHEREAS, Governor Pat Quinn has declared a propane emergency in Illinois, a first in State history, to try and ease the financial strain; this declaration eases driving regulations on trucks delivering propane from other states; and

WHEREAS, Various federal trucking regulations, most notably, weight limits for trucks on roads, limits the amount of propane that can be transported, contributing to the current shortage and increasing prices; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge President Barack Obama to temporarily increase the amount of trucking weight allowed on the country's interstate highways from 80,000 to 100,000, in to order ease the propane shortage, and in doing so, drive down the price of propane; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to President Barack Obama, United States Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, and Illinois Propane Gas Association Board President Jim Jackson.